Golden
by KalaKitsune
Summary: This is a One Shot to the prompt of 'Mates'... Warning! This is fluffy slash!


Golden

-One Shot-

As Magi dissolves into sparkling blue shards of light right before his eyes, Zak hears her old wizened voice in his head as if she were there with him, standing at his side. He couldn't explain the tears that filled his eyes as he watched the tiny pieces of light separate and float to each fairy flying around the twist of trees, assumedly granting them a bit of her collected powers, turning their fairy trails from the usual acid green to neon blue.

'It's time to find the power in you, Zak.' Her voice echoed in his ears as the final piece of glittering light flitted down to where he stood before lighting on his face. He could feel the magic and warmth spread from where it landed, chasing away a lethargic chill he hadn't known he felt. 'I regret not having met you sooner, you special boy, but I'll always be here to guide you and watch over your progress. For you are a part of me, a part of us all, as it has always been and always meant to be. It has been so long since your kind have graced these trees with the brilliance of the sun…'

Zak felt the urge to question her meaning, but couldn't find the words to express his concern. Magi's chuckle of amusement sounded in his ear as if sensing his denial, before whispering one last thing before they faded away. 'Oh Zak, soon you will understand, and soon you will find your place…'

And there he was, left confused by her words and overly warmed by the magic pulsing under his skin, staring up at the fairies circling in streaks of blue overhead. Something felt off, out of place, his skin felt too tight, ill-fitting, making it harder to draw breath. It was similar to those anxiety attacks he'd once had as a child. It took a lot of counseling sessions and more than a few meds to get over it then. He had been convinced that he wasn't right, something about him was wrong, different, and he felt it all come back in waves of smoldering heat. It was suffocating and intoxicating; his skin tingled and felt too tight. He closed his eyes, as his head began to swim from the heat and watching the swirl of glowing blue.

The next thing he knew there were hands on his shoulders, lightly shaking him back into reality as a familiar voice in a tone he didn't remember ever hearing called his name over and over. Opening his eyes he blinked dazedly up at the face before his, only now realizing that he must have collapsed on the mossy root.

"Pips…?" he questioned still dazed, eyes unfocused, trying to take in the worried look the fairy didn't even bother to hide.

"Geez, you're burning up! What happened to you?!" the red headed fairy with the most dazzling green eyes Zak had ever seen grumped as he fussed over him, settling a large cool palm on Zak's sweaty brow as the other held firmly to his left shoulder. "Turn my back for a moment and you've gotten yourself sick or somethin'…"

"'m fine…" Zak managed, as he shifted into the touch. Pips was so cold, or maybe he was just that hot.

"Yeah, sure, you look fine!" the fairy grumped again.

Zak really didn't know why Pips bothered. Didn't they all think he was horrible now? That he was a bad person?

"Of course I'd bother…" Pips mumbled under his breath as if it was obvious, but Zak still heard him. Oh, Zak must have said that out loud. Zak blinked at Pips confused and still so very dizzy. Why should it be so obvious…?

"Tch…" Pips clicked his tongue, at that. Oops… Zak said his thoughts out loud again, it seemed. "Can't leave you alone…" the fairy mumbled before sighing. His large hands slid up to cup Zak's too hot face before he drew closer pressing their foreheads together, and didn't that feel nice, Zak thought, this time it seemed to himself. Zak gave a soft sigh of his own as his eyes slipped closed in contentment, absorbing the comfort in the touch, his brain faltering on the very public display between two supposed rivals and the affection that was in it, not to mention this wasn't really the time for this kind of thing. Even after all of that he couldn't bring himself to move away from the touch.

"I don't think you're horrible, and really, my opinion of you should be the only one you care about," Pips murmured, his warm breath ghosting over Zak's overheated face but still somehow managing to quail the burning there causing him to give a slight moan in appreciation.

All of the heat that danced electrically just under his skin seeped deeper, collecting in his core before simmering down to a constant manageable warmth, leaving behind a slight chill. Warmth pulsed where Pips still touched him, and his heart stuttered, as his eyes snapped open looking bewildered at how right this felt.

He liked Crysta! But all of him felt right, right here, right now with Pips, and this got him flustered as he tried to backpedal away from the touch, almost groaning at the loss of contact. Pips name echoed around his heart, and as he scooted back from Pips who watched him amused, he pressed a palm to his thudding heart.

"You feel it now," Pips chuckled amused, rising and staring up at the still flying fairies above them, before releasing a sigh. He pressed his own palm to his chest, much like Zak.

"Feel what now?!" Zak squeaked flustered, face a light pink from a blush rather than the heat that had previously gripped him.

Green eyes turned back down to regard his still seated figure, dazzling like jewels in the intensity of their gaze. He didn't answer as he smiled a small secretive smile before taking flight to rejoin the fairy circle high up above and wasn't that frustrating.

~ PIPS + ZAK ~

Everything after his super embarrassing and confusing moment with Pips went by in a blur of action and way too many near death experiences for a four inch tall sixteen-year-old. Somehow he'd managed to stop the machine, and Crysta sealed Hexxus away in an awesome tree in a really cool act of heroism. All the while the whispers in his head and heart urging him on weren't of her. Even now after watching how wonderful she was, his heart beat to the rhythm of one name, and really, wasn't that something overly confusing and poetic…?

Now here he stood before the fairies. Before Crysta. Before Pips… He could hear himself speaking, but the thump of his own heartbeat in his ears made it hard to concentrate on the words he knew he should say. He didn't belong here; he wasn't one of them. So why was it so hard to say what he knew he needed too? Why was it so hard to leave? And why was it Pips that he found so hard to look at as he choked out the words…?

"A part of me keeps telling me to stay, but… I don't… I… I have to go back… FernGully may be safe from Hexxus, but the humans are still a danger…" He felt numb as he said the words, not daring to look away from Crysta, too afraid he'd meet the stern gaze he felt focused solely on him. Shifting under the scrutiny, he did look and found narrowed green eyes watching, daring him to leave. He barely heard Crysta as she said something about how a part of him would always be there, too caught in that emerald gaze. It took so much effort to look away, to turn away from them all.

"What was done, now undo. Return you to the form that's true…" he heard Crysta say as he began to walk away.

It felt like a bolt of white lighting struck him through, causing him to falter in his steps. It was agonizingly painful and his whole being felt warped by the magic swirling around him. Something felt wrong and right at the same time. That was the last thing Zak thought as his legs collapsed under him for the second time that day…

~ PIPS + ZAK ~

As Zak began to fall forward Pips was the first to react, catching him and easing both of them to the ground, worry creasing his brow. Crysta looked like she was about to go into hysterics as she rushed over hands hovering and fluttering about but not touching the passed out human.

"Why didn't it work!? It should have worked!?" she was close to tears.

"Crysta…" Pips started to say but trailed off as Zak's body started to glow golden in his arms. He was about to be squished by the human that held the other half of his heart, he just knew it…

The light intensified, engulfing them all in its brilliance.

As the light faded away, leaving them all seeing spots, none could believe their eyes. Zak hadn't changed back to how he was, but he had indeed changed….

Four dazzling iridescent wings veined with shimmering gold twitched listlessly on Zak's back as Pips pulled the human turned fairy closer, sun kissed skin warm against his own. Zak's halo of blonde hair seemed to shine now with a new luster, and his now sharp tipped ears peeked shyly through the lush tresses of spun gold. He was beautiful, and amazing, and Pips. Pips breath caught as he stared at the fairy boy in his arms, pulling him that little bit closer before breathing in the scent of sun, warmth and home.

"Pips, he's…" Crysta breathed.

"Mine…" Pips murmured, nose nuzzling the crown of golden hair and closing his eyes, ignoring the slightly hurt yet resigned look on her face.

~ PIPS + ZAK ~

Growing big felt far more painful than when he'd been shrunk he thought groggily as he came too propped against a warm naked chest, strong arms wrapped around his shoulders holding him there. Wait… Naked chest? Peeking up through his fringe he locked eyes with familiar wide green ones.

Zak looked around at all the gawking fairies. He was still tiny…

"Um… guys… what's going on? What happened? Did it not work?"

"Zak… you're… you…" Crysta couldn't seem to make any sense so he turned to face Pips who would give it to him straight, or so he thought…

It was Batty, thankfully okay, who informed him of his current state. "You're an odd little insect! A dazzlingly odd little insect!"

"A what….?" An insect? Then he thought about it… Insect…. He was a fairy? There was no freakin' way…. Call him a girl, but he was feeling a bit faint.

This wasn't happening… This couldn't be right… This couldn't be what Magi had meant, could it? He didn't have to leave now, right? He could stay…. He could stay with… Pips… Call him an utter girl, but he was so happy he cried.

~ PIPS + ZAK ~

After seeing off Tony and Ralph, also dazzled by his new sparkling good looks, who promised to do what they could about the 'human invasion', Zak found himself alone sitting on a tree branch with a still gawking Pips, because he really couldn't return to home looking like he did now. Although that thought didn't bother him all that much. Somewhere along the line this had become home before he had even realized it. Just like Pips had become closer to his heart than Crysta…

But back to the staring… It was annoying… He understood that he stood out even more now than when he had just been another four inch human… but the constant staring agitated him…. Caused said wings to twitch restlessly.

He turned to look at Pips who seemed content just to sit and watch him, now golden eyes narrowing in aggravation. The staring was getting old, and he said as much.

Pips just smiled leaning forward to kiss him chastely on his pursed lips, while placing his palm over Zak's heart.

"Can't help myself, your dazzling like the sun!"

Zak 'hmmphed' brushing Pips hand away as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned away like he was irate but really trying to hide the blush on his tanned cheeks. Really, kissing him like that out of nowhere and saying that so easily…

Strong hands took him by the shoulders, turning him back to face the smug fairy who may or may not have made a home in his heart in such a short amount of time… Zak's blush grew, reaching the sharp delicate tips of his ears as he looked back at Pips whose smile was so bright and happy; his heart beat a little faster at the sight.

As Pips leant forward to kiss him again, Zak closed his eyes, content in this moment in time, wishing it could go on forever, and maybe it could. Without thinking, he moved his right hand up placing it over where Pips heart beat thumped steadily in his broad chest. Pips smirked against his mouth, before kissing him all that much sweeter.

And yeah, Zak could finally feel it too.

~ FIN ~


End file.
